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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26799205">No More Regrets</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/OrangeTabby/pseuds/OrangeTabby'>OrangeTabby</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>A Song of Ice and Fire &amp; Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Literature, May/December Relationship, Mild Kink, Modern Westeros, Older Man/Younger Woman, Secret Crush, Stannis has a praise kink, match making</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 07:28:58</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>12,369</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26799205</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/OrangeTabby/pseuds/OrangeTabby</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>After a bad relationship break up a year ago, Sansa Stark is finally happy. <br/>She only has one regret.</p>
<p>Can an unexpected offer of match-making change that?<br/>Can she be bold and take what she wants?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Stannis Baratheon/Sansa Stark</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>88</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>251</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. A Match Made in Kings Landing</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hello lovely Stansa fans. I usually write Sansan but Stansa is my other favourite ship, and I hope you enjoy my small contribution to this branch of the fandom (I’d love to hear what you think! 😊)<br/>The kink factor is very mild, but please make sure you’ve read the tags and are happy with reading that content (it’s mostly in the 4th chapter, the rest of the story is a pretty typical Stansa dynamic). E rating is for the final chapter, the rest is a light M.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sansa had only one regret about her break-up with Joffrey Baratheon.</p>
<p>A visceral reminder of that particular regret resurfaced when examining the most recent volume that her boss, Maester of Libraries Aemon Targaryen, had donated to the National Library of Westeros Rare Books Collection. Beldecar’s <em>Compleat</em><em> Military Historie of the Stormlands</em>, first edition. Excellent condition, surprisingly little foxing on the pages for such an old manuscript, and the spine seemed decent. She knew without doubt who would appreciate this book.</p>
<p>Sansa sighed and slipped the printed, acid-free paper slip of bibliographical information into the volume. Her colleague Samwell Tarly had already noted the catalogue number it was to be shelved under, 940.4002, Military History of Westeros, subsection Stormlands, subsection ancient historical accounts.</p>
<p>She decided to shelve the volume right away, to distract herself from thoughts of things that could never be. She waved the book at another colleague, Loras Tyrell, as she headed out of the work area and towards the Rare Books collection rooms, so he would realise where she was going. He put down his binding tape to give her a smile and a thumbs up in response.</p>
<p>The close musty quiet of the collection rooms encouraged Sansa’s reflective mood.</p>
<p>She did not miss the drug fuelled parties that the younger and stupider Sansa had felt obliged to attend with Joffrey, which always made her uncomfortable as the only sober person there. The break-up happened almost a year ago and every weekend she was still grateful that she was free to do whatever she wished.</p>
<p>Nor did she miss being photographed on his arm, she rather liked the comparative freedom of only appearing in the society gossip pages at occasions of her own choosing.</p>
<p>Sansa experienced a kind of desperate relief that she no longer felt obliged to be intimate with him. Sex with Joffrey had been tolerable at best, humiliating at worst. Inescapably bone dry and underwhelming. He always preferred her submissive and under control so he could do as he liked.</p>
<p>Sansa made a space on the shelf for <em>Compleat Military Historie of </em><em>the Stormlands</em> and sighed. She should have left Joff far sooner than she did, but the weight of expectations kept her tied down, regardless of her feelings. A merger by marriage of two of the most powerful noble families in Westeros would have been incredibly advantageous. Their fathers had been ecstatic about the potential joint business ventures. Her mother had been thrilled that Sansa would apparently be producing legions of beautiful babies with flawless noble bloodlines.</p>
<p>It had been advantageous for everyone except her, as she’d known for a long time that she didn’t love Joffrey. Gods, she didn’t even like Joffrey after the novelty of his golden beauty wore off and she realised he was rotten to the core.</p>
<p>No, her one regret about breaking up with Joffrey Baratheon was no longer being able to entertain her secret and deeply inappropriate crush on his uncle, Stannis.</p>
<p>Sansa flopped onto the nearest bench and leaned her head back against the wall.</p>
<p>She kept in contact with Joffrey’s siblings. Tommen’s daily SMS with photos of his cat Ser Pounce were something she looked forward to, and she sometimes met for coffee with Myrcella. Joffrey’s parents she was happy to see the back of. She saw his other uncle Renly through work and social functions when he would attend with his husband Loras. Even with Joffrey’s cousin Shireen she exchanged the occasional message on social media. But Shireen’s father, Stannis, there was no appropriate way to justify getting in contact with him.</p>
<p>Attending the regular Baratheon family gatherings had been the expectation of her as Joffrey’s girlfriend, though he generally ignored her once they were there. Usually in favour of day drinking with his mother, Cersei. Sansa stumbled upon Stannis in Robert’s private library, on one of the first gatherings she’d attended. Stannis’s nameday was the nominal excuse for the party, but he’d been hiding in there, reading one of Beldecar’s more well-known works, <em>History of the Rhoynish Wars</em>. She’d just started work as a Library Assistant in Rare Books and recognised that edition of the book. They ended up spending the rest of the party in the library, discussing their mutual interests in history and literature. Both Stannis’s physical presence and formidable intellect had moved her in like no other man before or since. By the time they emerged, Joffrey had left, apparently assuming she had caught a cab home without him earlier in the afternoon. Stannis gave her a ride back to her apartment and they’d continued their discussion. She had never experienced a connection like that before. She’d thought for a wild moment at the end of the drive that he wanted to kiss her, but he clenched his jaw, bade her a pleasant evening and driven off, leaving her both aroused and profoundly guilty.</p>
<p>Sansa found Stannis to be interesting and compelling company when they’d been on their own, far more so than his taciturn demeanour when in a group with his more boisterous relatives.</p>
<p>But after that initial intense connection, Stannis seemed to avoid her. The idea surfaced that perhaps he disliked her. Surreptitiously stealing glances at him at other gatherings became the new normal, mostly as Stannis stayed as part of the group and frowned at his loud brothers. Sometimes Sansa thought he was stealing glances at her in return, but he always looked away.</p>
<p>It was for the best, she’d considered at the time. She should be ashamed for being attracted to her boyfriend’s uncle. She knew that Joffrey cheated on her, and the fear of catching a venereal disease from him was what ultimately prompted her to sever the relationship. But she wouldn’t stoop to Joffrey’s level, and having feelings for another man made her feel like she might be heading that way.</p>
<p>Sansa slumped further down the bench and groaned.</p>
<p>It didn’t matter anymore. It was the past.</p>
<p>She’d only ever talked about her inappropriate attraction to Stannis out loud once, during a drunken evening of cocktails, chocolate and self-pity with some of her friends, shortly after the break-up. Margaery had reacted with polite bafflement, Jeyne expressed open confusion, and Randa wondered aloud if he was as well-hung as his brothers were reputed to be. Everyone drunkenly agreed that he probably was. After that no one mentioned her confession again and Sansa assumed they’d forgotten.</p>
<p>Sansa had thrown herself into her work and self-improvement after the ugly break-up. No more enduring sex with someone who hurt her, no more going along with what she was expected to do. She’d gotten promoted to be Assistant Rare Books Librarian, devoted herself to charitable causes, worked on neglected friendships. She’d even dated, sort of. Sansa was ready for the next step, trying to have a healthy relationship and become sexually confident.</p>
<p>Sansa stood up again and gave herself a shake. With a glance at the book that triggered so many memories, she squared her shoulders and strode back towards the workspace.</p>
<p>There were a variety of interesting online sale lots for some volumes of post-Conquest era Dornish poetry she’d been keeping her eye on. Maester Aemon always left the internet acquisitions to her as he was not tech savvy. Composing emails for that negotiation took up the rest of her afternoon and it soothed away her memories of past regrets.</p>
<p>She caught Loras eyeing her speculatively on a few occasions as she worked, but put it down to the faces she was doubtless making at the email chain. The Dornish were tough negotiators.</p>
<p>“Working late again?”</p>
<p>The musical voice of her friend Margaery Tyrell interrupted her contemplation of the complete text of <em>Maid of Lemonwood</em>, which typically only survived in fragments.</p>
<p>Sansa glanced at the clock, then shrugged. “It’s only six-thirty. Barely even dinner time.”</p>
<p>Margaery held up a paper bag. “Luckily I bought you and Loras some dinner.”</p>
<p>Sansa blinked. Usually her colleagues went home and ate dinner with their families, and she worked on alone, but Loras was still here too.</p>
<p>“I told Renly I’d be home late,” said Loras, swinging a laptop bag over his shoulder and standing up from his desk. “Margie and I have been working on a project that might be of interest to you.”</p>
<p>“Shall we go to the staff room?” Margaery’s smile was bright. She worked part time in the reading rooms of the library, and no unruly patron could withstand the force of that smile.</p>
<p>Sansa hummed an agreement and turned her computer off. She could always answer any later emails from her work phone.</p>
<p>The staff room was sparsely populated as most people worked a day shift and the library only provided limited facilities in the evenings. Margaery busied herself in setting up takeaway containers of Dothraki cuisine, and Loras claimed one corner of the table for his laptop.</p>
<p>When faced with piles of thinly sliced roasted meat, fire pod and sweetgrass laden flatbreads, and peppered yogurt sauce, Sansa was suddenly ravenous.</p>
<p>She was consuming a mouthful of food of unladylike proportions when Margaery delicately coughed for attention. “Would you like to be involved in our matchmaking service?”</p>
<p>Sansa did not choke, though it was a close-run thing. She swallowed and took a long drink of water before responding. “Since when did you have a matchmaking service?”</p>
<p>Loras responded, “We’ve been working on it for months. There was a gap in the market, a service for nobility to meet other people with the same background.”</p>
<p>Sansa frowned at that. “I don’t care about who someone’s family is. People should be with someone who suits them, not necessarily a person from the ‘right’ family. You both know how badly that can go.”</p>
<p>Margaery reached over the table to take Sansa’s hand. She too dated Joffrey some years ago, though far more briefly than Sansa. They’d known each other for years but of late had bonded over the shared misery of Joff, and Margaery was now happily engaged to a commoner named Bronn.</p>
<p>“You’ve been on exactly two dates in the past year, correct?” Margaery said, squeezing Sansa’s hand before patting her and letting her go again.</p>
<p>Sansa poked desultorily at a slice of fire pod that that fallen from some bread. “Lommy from the IT department and a blind date with a man from Braavos who wouldn’t tell me his name.”</p>
<p>“And what happened with them?” prompted Margaery, who knew exactly what had happened with them.</p>
<p>Sansa pinched the bridge of her nose and groaned. “I caught Lommy sniffing my seat in the restaurant when I came back from the bathroom, so that was the end of that. The man from Braavos kissed my hand when the date was over and said something in High Valyrian and then ghosted me.”</p>
<p>Margaery nodded sagely. “That’s right, you got a chair sniffer and some guy who was probably some kind of weird spy or assassin. Now imagine a date with someone who we’ve thoroughly vetted. Your qualities matched and your goals aligned. You actually know their name and they can behave themselves in public.”</p>
<p>Sansa dunked a chunk of flatbread into the tub of yogurt sauce and frowned again. A decent relationship and enjoyable sex were certainly things she was interested in. “Alright you win,” she said finally. “I’ll humour you.”</p>
<p>The other woman turned the full force of her smile at Sansa, who blinked under the power of it. “If you were to be in a relationship again,” said Margaery, leaning towards Sansa, “what qualities are you looking for in a partner?”</p>
<p>Sansa grimaced when the memory of Stannis resurfaced. She mentally shoved it away. “Intelligent and interesting,” she said. “A person who works hard and has similar interests to me. Someone I could talk to about my day, and who would tell me about their day in return. Someone who cares about me as an individual, not as a Stark or not as arm candy for the society pages. A person who was calm and steady.”</p>
<p>Margaery hummed. “And physically?”</p>
<p>“Tall and strong. Dark haired. An older man,” Sansa said immediately, then felt her cheeks flush hot. “But I’m not picky,” she corrected quickly. “Personality is more important.”</p>
<p>Margaery glanced at Loras then, who instantly stood up and said, “I’ll make us all cups of tea,” before heading over to the kitchenette.</p>
<p>“And sexually?” Margaery said in a low voice, pulling the laptop in front of her.</p>
<p>“Oh,” said Sansa, clearing her throat. Her cheeks were still hot. “Really?”</p>
<p>Margaery shrugged. “Just a little about what you want, so we don’t match complete opposites together.”</p>
<p>“Well you know what I’ve said before. I want to feel powerful, in control. I want to take charge. Exactly the opposite of my previous experience.”</p>
<p>Margaery hummed and tapped away at the keyboard. Loras came back over, carefully carrying three cups of tea.</p>
<p>“White, one sugar,” Loras murmured as he placed the mug on the table in front of Sansa.</p>
<p>“Thank you,” Sansa said, though she was looking at Margaery who had started to look a touch smug.</p>
<p>“Our matchmaking service has proved unexpectedly popular, people from families like ours have been flocking to us,” said Margaery, after also thanking Loras for her drink. “We’ve had some extremely surprising and unlikely people sign up, though of course discretion is our guarantee. We don’t reveal names until potential couples are scientifically matched.”</p>
<p>Sansa nodded. “That’s a good idea.”</p>
<p>“I’ve got someone here who has recently taken over officially running his family company after a scandal involving his older brother,” said Margaery, running her finger up and down the handle of her mug. “He is interested in an intelligent and well-educated woman, someone who works hard and preferably with an interest in history and literature. A woman with a similar background to him, who understands a noble upbringing.”</p>
<p>Sansa sat back in her seat. “I see.”</p>
<p>They seemed comparable thus far. If nothing else, they’d likely be able to find topics of conversation.</p>
<p>“He likes tall red heads,” Loras chimed in.</p>
<p>“This man also prefers strong, confident women,” said Margaery. “He was quite adamant about that. That aspect of a potential match was very important to him.”</p>
<p>There seemed to be something they were not saying. Sansa said as much.</p>
<p>“He’s someone I know,” said Loras. He paused and made a face, seemingly thinking on how to phrase what he was going to say. “I accidently overheard some, ah, very specific things his ex-girlfriend said to him once, and I think he might have a praise kink.”</p>
<p>Sansa took a sip of her tea to give herself a moment to digest this information. She winced when the tea was too hot. “Kink. Does that mean he would want me to tie him up and whip him?” she asked finally. She felt embarrassingly naïve for being unfamiliar with the terminology.</p>
<p>“No, not necessarily anything like that,” said Margaery gently. “A praise kink about as vanilla as it gets, usually as part of a dominant and submissive dynamic. It’s more like, he’d want you to call him a good boy, or ask him to pleasure you and then praise him for doing a good job at that.”</p>
<p>“Wanting that kind of affirmation in bed very common among powerful people like judges, politicians, successful businesspeople,” interjected Loras matter-of-factly, as if they were merely discussing the recent rise in the price of Lorathi apples, not sex. “They spend all day making important decisions, involving huge amounts of money, or people’s lives. In their own time, they often want to pretend to not be so powerful, to follow instructions, then have someone praise them for doing so.”</p>
<p>Sansa stared down at her tea. She’d thought about wanting to be powerful, to take back her sexuality. Was she brave enough to boss around a man in the bedroom, request that he pleasure her and praise him for doing so?</p>
<p>Arousal shivered through her at the thought of it. She was that brave.</p>
<p>“Yes,” Sansa said, firmly. “I’d like to set up an introduction with him.”</p>
<p>Margaery slumped in what looked suspiciously like relief. She silently swivelled Loras’s laptop so that Sansa could see the photo on the screen.</p>
<p>Sansa gasped.</p>
<p>There was no mistaking the dark blue eyes, silvering black hair, receding hairline and faint scowl of Baratheon Industries CEO, Stannis Baratheon.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. A Video Chat</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you all for the lovely warm welcome I received to the Good Ship Stansa! I hope you all enjoy this chapter too 😁</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sansa finished the rest of her tea with an unflattering gulp. “I can’t believe Stannis would sign up for a matchmaking service,” she said weakly.</p><p>“We guarantee discretion,” said Margaery, giving a brief wave of her hand.</p><p>“I think he’s lonely,” said Loras, reclaiming the laptop from his sister and squinting at the screen, “and he’s as particular about wanting to find the right person for a relationship as he is with every other aspect of his life. I’ve seen him with that one girlfriend a couple of years back, but other than her, as far as I know he’s been single since he broke up with his wife.”</p><p>Sansa frowned, troubled at the idea of Stannis being lonely. She itched to ask about the ex-girlfriend and why exactly Loras thought Stannis wanted to be called a good boy, but couldn’t bring herself to voice the question out loud.</p><p>“He’s been having dinner with Renly and I more often than before,” Loras continued, “which was never. He even sometimes responds to Renly’s attempts at making conversation.”</p><p>Margaery snorted delicately. “I can’t imagine Stannis talking more than necessary. Other than to correct someone’s grammar.”</p><p>“He’ll talk about things that interest him,” said Sansa, hurt on Stannis’s behalf that people would consider him deficient in any way. “I once spent a wonderful afternoon with him discussing the different stages in the development of Westerosi literature and how historical events have shaped them.”</p><p>Loras and Margaery exchanged a meaningful look. “Stannis is an acquired taste,” said Margaery, “but you, Sansa Stark, seemed to have acquired that taste.”</p><p>Sansa huffed a vexed breath out. “Is this because of that one time I mentioned him?”</p><p>Margaery tipped her head back and laughed before speaking. “The one time you drunkenly confessed your feelings for the man? You showed more emotion for him than you ever did about our regrettable mutual ex-boyfriend.”</p><p>Sansa took a moment to digest this information. She’d never considered her crush would ever come to fruition. “What if he thinks I’m too young?” she said anxiously. “Maybe he found me young and silly when we knew each other.”</p><p>“He didn’t specify an age range for a potential partner,” said Margaery. “Most people do if they have a strong preference.”</p><p>“It usually goes the other way,” said Loras, glancing up from the screen. “I wouldn’t normally think a young woman would desire a twenty-year age gap.”</p><p>“I’m not that young,” Sansa muttered defensively. “Twenty-five is a very reasonable age.”</p><p>“Well, it wouldn’t be entirely cradle snatching on his part,” said Loras lightly, then he flashed her a smile, which almost matched the intensity of Margaery’s. “Our policy is that matches have a video call first, to assess compatibility before any actual face-to-face meeting.”</p><p>“Do you wish to tell him who you are before the call, or use a pseudonym?” asked Margaery, raising her eyebrows.</p><p>“I’ll use the name NorthernWolf,” Sansa said immediately. “I’d rather him find out that it’s me when we are talking, not beforehand.”</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>Sansa paced around her small study, nervous tension making her nauseous.</p><p>They’d scheduled the call for seven pm, only two minutes away. Sansa had come home early from work to prepare. She berated herself for being ridiculous, it was just a video call after all, but she’d still showered, shaved her legs, done her hair and dressed in nice clothes. She had also checked the background of what her webcam could see (a bookcase, one pot plant, and a framed drawing of a smiling wolf made by Rickon when he was five) and cleaned her entire study in a frenzy of nerves.</p><p>She patted her hair again, to make sure it was tidy.</p><p>At exactly seven, her computer screen flashed to indicate an incoming video call. Closing her eyes briefly, Sansa flopped down into her computer chair and pressed accept.</p><p>Stannis was still at work, sitting stiffly in a desk chair, dressed in a suit and clearly in his office. He stared blankly at her through the screen and blinked several times. It was the most astonished she had ever seen him look.</p><p>“Hi Stannis,” she said nervously, when the silence stretched on a touch too long.</p><p>“Sansa Stark,” he replied, his blank expression moving into a frown. “I… of course, NorthernWolf. I knew you were too perfect from the details Loras sent.” His voice dropped to a mutter.</p><p>“Don’t hang up,” she said quickly, mentally filing the ‘perfect’ comment to mull over later. “I didn’t use my name in case you wouldn’t agree to the match if you knew it was me.”</p><p>His frown deepened, possibly because of her poor grammar. “I would never be so crass as to suddenly terminate a call.”</p><p>“Of course not,” said Sansa, embarrassed that she’d evidently offended him. “I was worried you’d remember me as the stupid young woman dating Joffrey and not wish to communicate.”</p><p>Stannis seemed to unstiffen slightly. “I am acutely aware of the pressure to conduct relationships with those of favourable family backgrounds. Your choice of that miserable boy was unfortunate, but as far as I am concerned you terminated that relationship with grace and dignity. Even in the face of stringent opposition.”</p><p>Sansa knew Stannis’s marriage had been to a woman of a similar noble background to them both, a Florent, she dimly recalled. As far as Sansa was aware, the relationship had ended in divorce when Shireen was a baby, and he’d raised his daughter alone. She didn’t mention that though. Nor did she mention the apparent ex-girlfriend Loras had bought up.</p><p>Instead she hummed and said, “Thank you. I’ve learned a lot about myself in the past year. Everything is a lot better in my life.” She laughed lightly. “Even my mother is over the fantasy of what she thought my life should be. Mostly.”</p><p>Stannis took a sip from a cup of what looked like tea. Sansa tried not to watch his throat as he swallowed. He had a faint five o’clock shadow, and she wondered how the rasp of it would feel against her skin.</p><p>She hurriedly shoved those thoughts away. The last thing she wanted was to be flushed and aroused whilst trying to converse like a sensible person.</p><p>“I hear you are now Assistant Rare Books Librarian at the National Library.” Stannis placed the cup back on his desk with a clink that indicated he was using a saucer. “A most prestigious appointment.”</p><p>Sansa’s heart gave a little flip flop at the idea he’d been interested enough to keep tabs on her career.</p><p>“Yes, thank you. I’m honoured to be learning so much from Maester Aemon. He almost single-handedly wrote the book on library sciences,” Sansa replied. “What about you? How are you finding being CEO?”</p><p>“I’ve been running the company for years whilst Robert drank and whored, so it’s really no different. Simply a higher position for my second-in-command Davos Seaworth and a larger office for me.” Stannis paused and shook his head. “I apologise for my coarse language. Though I believe money did change hands between my brother and those women.”</p><p>Sansa smiled at him. “It’s alright Stannis, I overhear worse on the commuter trains going into work every day.”</p><p>Stannis hummed. “Nevertheless.”</p><p>Sansa’s treacherous brain wondered what kind of language he would use in the bedroom. Would he swear if she told him what to do to her, and how very appreciative she would be of him doing it? Would he apologise afterwards like he just did?</p><p>Sansa cleared her throat, willing her face not to flush. “I gather Shireen is doing well at business school down in Dorne. We’re friends on social media, she looks happy in her photos.”</p><p>The corner of Stannis’s mouth twitched up in what looked perilously close to a smile. “Her grades are excellent. She’s expressed an interest in moving to Kings Landing after her graduation and being part of Baratheon Industries now that Robert and Joffrey are no longer involved with the business.”</p><p>“It would be lovely to have her back in town, you must be thrilled,” said Sansa, before her brain registered what Stannis had said. “Wait, both Robert and Joffrey?”</p><p>“Robert is in a secure facility for rehabilitation and will be for some time.” Stannis took another sip of tea and Sansa kept her eyes on the cup and not anywhere else. “You had not heard about Joffrey?”</p><p>Sansa gave a short, mirthless laugh. “I try to avoid news of Joff.”</p><p>“That’s wise.” Stannis looked down at his cup then back at the screen. “I regret that he assaulted a young woman, and it came to light that it was simply the latest of a series of violent incidents involving women. I’ve blocked his access to any Baratheon resources, but fortunately even the Lannister lawyers won’t be able to bargain him out of these charges.”</p><p>“Oh my gods.” Sansa slumped back in her chair, stunned by the news. “I can’t imagine he’ll actually be punished though. Tywin would never let that happen.”</p><p>Stannis put his cup down with another audible clink. “I have personally redirected our family resources to providing the best specialist legal representation in Westeros for the women my ne… ah, Joffrey harmed. Legal professionals that are more highly skilled than the Lannister lawyers,” Stannis said, with a faint shake of his head. “It’s only fair that his victims get a reasonable chance at redress to compensate in some small way for his crimes.”</p><p>Sansa nodded slowly, comforted that at least Joffrey stood a fighting chance of punishment. “He was always rough and aggressive with me, but I didn’t believe he’d go so far.”</p><p>Stannis scowled furiously. “He hurt you too?”</p><p>Sansa winced, ashamed. “Yes.” She sat up and waved a hand of dismissal, though she ached both for the women who were hurt and for the naïve girl she’d been. “But it’s done now. As we just discussed, I got out of it.”</p><p>Stannis leaned forward, arms positioned in a way that looked like his hands must be gripping the edge of his desk. “You should have told me. I would have intervened.”</p><p>“I did it myself, Stannis. Eventually. But thank you for the sentiment, I appreciate it.” Sansa tilted her head. “After we spent all those hours talking in the library, you ignored me every time we met. I guessed that maybe you didn’t like me.”</p><p>“I don’t believe it’s possible to dislike you, Sansa, though I would have helped you regardless,” Stannis said slowly. “You were, however, in a relationship at the time, as ill-fated as it was.”</p><p>They regarded each other.</p><p>“If you considered that I did not like you,” he continued after a few moments of loaded silence, “why did you agree to this meeting? You were doubtless aware that I was your match since I did not use a pseudonym.”</p><p>“I was interested in getting to know you better. I thought perhaps you’d change your opinion of me. And…” Sansa’s stomach fluttered nervously.</p><p>Stannis leaned forward again. “And?”</p><p>Sansa licked her lips. Stannis’s gaze darted up from her lips to her eyes when she finally spoke. “And I wanted to feel powerful and in control. After the, ah, bad experiences with my previous relationship.”</p><p>“I see.” Stannis’s voice was neutral, though his jaw looked to be clenched.</p><p>“And…” She took a deep breath and summoned her boldness and courage. After all, that was what this was all supposed to be about. “I wanted that, with you.” Her voice was strong as she spoke.</p><p>“You wish to be powerful and in control with me?” Stannis said in a low voice, starting to look a little flushed. “Even though I’m old enough to be your father?”</p><p>Sansa’s hopes fell, but she kept her chin up. “If you think I’m too young, that’s okay. If you aren’t attracted to me, that’s okay too. Just let me know now, and eventually I’ll get over you.”</p><p>Stannis stared hard at the screen, seemingly searching for something in her expression.</p><p>Sansa stared back, willing the truth of her words to be obvious to him.</p><p>Stannis eventually cleared his throat. “Are you free on Friday evening?”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. A Date to Remember</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Okay, yes, I smooshed a bunch of Westerosi history and literature references into this chapter (some canon, some not), but hey, I had fun doing it! I hope you enjoy the date 😁</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sansa stared at the carefully laid out outfit on her bed.</p>
<p>She couldn’t remember much about her Friday workday. She vaguely recalled eating a lemon cake at their staff meeting. It had been Sam’s turn to provide the snacks, and his wife Gilly always made delicious baked goods for the Rare Books staff. Sansa took lunch at her desk, though she mostly stared at her computer screen, mind racing with potential scenarios for how the evening would go. She had no recollection of what she ate for lunch.</p>
<p>Stannis was taking her out to a Dornish restaurant, the most exclusive one in King’s Landing, run by popular chef Oberyn Martell. People usually had to book months in advance to dine there, though somehow it did not surprise Sansa that Stannis had connections.</p>
<p>She was too jittery to listen to anything on the way home, just stared out the window of the train on the quick journey back to her apartment.</p>
<p>Sansa wanted to dress with care. She wasn’t particularly interesting to the press, just another Northern timber and mining heiress from an ancient family who chose to work for a living, as did all her siblings. Stannis was, however, technically one of the most eligible bachelors in Westeros, so she wanted to present herself appropriately in case of photographers. The provision of a strict list of clothing instructions was one of the many things she’d disliked about being with Joffrey. Stannis had obviously assumed she was capable of dressing herself. The temptation to wear high heels was profound.  They’d been one of the items Joff had forbidden she wear, as they made her far taller than him. That wouldn’t be an issue with Stannis. She chose a low heel this time though, in case they walked somewhere afterwards. <em>The Viper’s Nest</em> was on the Blackwater Bay waterfront, with beautiful views and plenty of places for a post-meal stroll.</p>
<p>Her dress of choice for tonight’s date was a scoop neck A-line dress that sat at knee length, part of her fashion designer friend Jeyne Poole’s new season collection. The cut of the garment was modest, but the colour was a bright crimson, a daring choice when paired with her auburn hair. Sansa smiled at the dress. A bold colour for a bold evening.</p>
<p>She briefly regretted not buying any special lingerie, in case the evening took an intimate turn, which she very much hoped it would. She had a matching set of black lace bra and underwear, which were pretty, so she wore them.</p>
<p>Before she could start overthinking again, as she’d been doing all day, Sansa hurriedly got dressed, careful not to disturb the light makeup she’d applied for the occasion. Her hair flowed loose down her back in the typical Northern fashion.</p>
<p>She found herself pacing, like she had before their video call.</p>
<p>Her bookcases needed organising, so Sansa tried to calm herself by starting to sort them by subject. She still gasped and jumped, dropping the biography of Elissa Farman that Arya had sent for her last nameday, when Stannis rang her bell.</p>
<p>She buzzed Stannis in, opening the door to meet him from the stairs. He was as fit as she remembered him being, jogging up to the fifth floor in his suit and not even out of breath. Sansa had a brief crisis on how to greet him, if they should hug, or shake hands, or kiss on the cheek. She suddenly recalled she’d never seen him hug his family, even Shireen, at their gatherings. She froze on the spot, staring at him approach. Luckily, when he was close enough for her to see the dark blue of his eyes and watch his habitual frown lessen at the sight of her, he solved the problem by thrusting a large bouquet of blue winter roses at her with his greeting.</p>
<p>“Thank you,” she squeaked after returning his salutation, then remembered tonight was about being confident instead of nervous. “Thank you, Stannis,” she said more normally. “Would you come in while I find a vase for these lovely flowers?”</p>
<p>Seeing him in person again after so long was overwhelming, and Sansa’s hands shook as she searched in the kitchen cupboards for a vase. Stannis had stayed in the living room, browsing her bookshelves, so at least he couldn’t see her shaking, and her dignity was mostly intact.</p>
<p>She could smell the roses, even with her head stuck in the cupboard. Blue winter roses were extraordinarily rare and difficult to obtain south of the Neck, she knew. She was touched that Stannis had gone to so much trouble just for flowers.</p>
<p>“You’ve got a second edition copy of <em>Wolf Lady of the Stags</em>,” his voice coming from the other room almost made her bang her head on the top of the low cupboard and she again cursed herself for being so jumpy.</p>
<p>Sansa took a long calming breath, thankful that he couldn’t see her. “Yes, I’m an admirer of Marys Baratheon. I love the story of her romance with Torrhen the Bard Stark.”</p>
<p>“I have the third edition myself.” Stannis’s voice was getting closer, and Sansa retrieved the vase and stood up.</p>
<p>“With the colour plates depicting her arrival at Winterfell?” she asked as she filled the vase with water.</p>
<p>“Yes.” Stannis was in the kitchen now, tall and rangy in the tiny room, and he gathered the flowers from the bench and handed them to her.</p>
<p>“That’s my only regret about having the second edition.” Sansa carefully arranged the blue roses and placed them on the breakfast bar. “The black line drawings are striking, but the colour plates are better.”</p>
<p>“You may wish to peruse my copy.” Stannis’s voice was low.</p>
<p>Sansa felt her cheeks get hot. “Yes, that sounds good.” She touched one of the petals with a fingertip. “Thank you again for these, they are beautiful.”</p>
<p>“Beautiful, yes,” he said, looking intently at her. He gave a short nod, “and you are entirely welcome. Shall we proceed?”</p>
<p>She hummed and nodded in response, collecting her handbag from the counter.</p>
<p>Sansa paused outside her door when she’d locked it. “Are you morally opposed to taking the lift down?” she asked lightly, giving Stannis a sly smile.</p>
<p>He raised an eyebrow at her. “You are referring to me taking the stairs on the way up? I’m not as young as I once was, I need to work harder to maintain an adequate level of fitness. But yes, the lift is acceptable.”</p>
<p>Given how good Stannis looked in his suit, Sansa suspected maintaining an adequate level of fitness was something that he was thorough about.</p>
<p>Stannis had parked his car out the front of her building. He drove a black two-door Lightbringer, recognisable from the flaming sword hood ornament.</p>
<p>“You drove yourself here?” said Sansa, surprised that he wouldn’t have a driver now that he was head of the family company.</p>
<p>Stannis held the passenger door open for her. “I prefer to use my own transport for personal engagements.”</p>
<p>“That makes sense,” she murmured, slipping into the seat as gracefully as she could.</p>
<p>They drove to the waterfront, Sansa making light chat without getting too distracted by the flex of Stannis’s thigh as he drove. She wondered if it would feel as firm under her hand as it looked. What it would feel like to sit naked on top of him. She swallowed and stared out of the window as a distraction.</p>
<p>There was one photographer that she noticed as they entered the restaurant. She snuck a glance at Stannis to see if he cared that they would probably be in the society pages together tomorrow. His expression was neutral as he lightly touched her back as they walked through the doors.</p>
<p>The waitress seated them in a relatively private corner of <em>The Viper’s Nest</em>. The menu was a set one, according to the whims of the chef.</p>
<p>Sansa eyed the first course of flatbreads with hummus and olives appreciatively. The waitress had supplied a jug of water with cucumber, mint, and lemon slices and a smaller one with Dornish strongwine and orange juice mixed together over ice. Sansa poured them both a glass of water.</p>
<p>“I love Dornish cuisine.” Sansa nibbled contemplatively on a fat olive once she had poured the drinks. “Thank you for not suggesting the new Meereenese restaurant that everyone seems to be going to these days.”</p>
<p>Stannis took a sip of water, visibly relaxing now that they were seated. “You don’t fancy honeyed dormice?” he said lightly.</p>
<p>Sansa made a face at him. “Nor locusts. I think they are an acquired taste, and I have not acquired it.”</p>
<p>Margaery’s comment about Stannis being an acquired taste came to mind, and Sansa suppressed a smile.</p>
<p>Stannis nodded towards a large oil painting on the wall. It was of a woman with Rhoynish features, sitting amongst abundant lemon trees. The artist had painted her in the famous early nineth century Volantian style with small dabs of bright colours and soft dappled light giving the picture a dreamlike quality.</p>
<p>“Are you familiar with <em>The</em> <em>Maid of Lemonwood</em>?” he asked.</p>
<p>Sansa smiled at both Stannis and the young woman in the picture. “I’m in the process of acquiring a complete copy for the library.”</p>
<p>“A complete copy,” said Stannis, looking surprised. “How unusual, it usually exists only in fragments.”</p>
<p>“Yes.” She sat back and poured herself a small glass of the wine, glancing at Stannis to see if he wanted any. He gestured to indicate no. “’And ere while I dwell, quiet in the cool lemon grove,’” Sansa quoted from the poem as she poured, “’my love hath given his life’s blood for a single dove’.”</p>
<p>“’But still he rides,’” Stannis continued, looking at her steadily, “’with wings of flight and sword of temperance. My love shall return when the sky flows red’.”</p>
<p>A man who could quote Dornish poetry, Sansa decided, was sexy to the extreme. “Are you much of a poetry fan?”</p>
<p>Stannis shook his head. “Only in the course of a general interest in historical literature. I think it behoves us all to have a knowledge of important Westerosi works as part of our history. <em>The</em> <em>Maid of Lemonwood</em>, <em>Florian and Jonquil</em>, <em>The Fall of Ten Towers and the Blockade of Pyke</em> and the like.”</p>
<p>Sansa laughed. “<em>The Fall of Ten Towers and the Blockade of Pyke</em> is more of a dirge, as is most Iron Islands poetry.”</p>
<p>Stannis inclined his head in affirmation. “Indeed.”</p>
<p>“I used to love <em>Florian and Jonquil</em>,” Sansa said, and grimaced. “It’s an important work, I know, but now it reminds me too much of being so young and stupid.”</p>
<p>“I never considered you to be stupid. Quite the opposite. You were simply caught in a position fraught with expectations.” He paused, looking thoughtful. “My marriage was not a love match, rather a business association between our families, which ultimately caused both my former wife and myself undue distress. I do not regret it, because Shireen is important to me, but I’m pleased you had more sense than I and spared yourself that situation.”</p>
<p>Sansa swirled the wine and orange juice around in her glass. “I wish I hadn’t stayed so long, but I…” she looked down at her wine then at Stannis. He was watching her intently. “…I don’t regret seeing you at the family parties.”</p>
<p>He cleared his throat. “Nor I you.”</p>
<p>Sansa’s heart fluttered at his admission.  Her cheeks grew hot.</p>
<p>“You never struck me as someone who would use a match making service,” she said casually, in lieu of causing a scene by launching herself across the table to kiss him.</p>
<p>Stannis plucked an olive off the plate and ate it before speaking. “My brother-in-law Loras suggested I partake in it. While I am content in my own company, it’s been a long time since my last relationship, and I often miss having someone to talk to in the evenings after work.”</p>
<p>Sansa nodded as she dunked a piece of flatbread into the hummus. “Margaery Tyrell recommended I try it too.”</p>
<p>“I would have thought you were less likely than I to use such a service, Tyrell meddling aside. An extraordinarily beautiful and accomplished young woman such as yourself.”</p>
<p>Stannis’s tone was so matter of fact that Sansa’s brain took several moments to register what he’d actually said. “Stannis,” she whispered, “thank you.” She reached across the table and touched her fingertips to his.</p>
<p>He slid his hand towards her, gently clasping her hand. “It’s simply the truth.”</p>
<p>Their waitress chose that moment to bring the main course of stuffed green peppers. The large serving platter necessitated they shift their hands off the table, to Sansa’s eternal regret.</p>
<p>Sansa focused on her serving of the dish, unsure how to restart the conversation after the intense moments they’d just had. The peppers were stuffed with a finely chopped vegetable mixture, gooey with melted cheese and lightly flavoured with paprika. They looked delicious.</p>
<p>“Do you like Northern cuisine?” she blurted after several minutes of quiet eating.</p>
<p>Stannis looked at her, a fork full of the vegetable and cheese stuffing poised halfway to his mouth. “I do,” he said, before eating his mouthful whilst frowning thoughtfully. “I am quite partial to the pork pies, and I usually order the traditional black pudding and stewed apples for breakfast when I travel there on business.”</p>
<p>“The one with hard-boiled eggs on the side?” Sansa smiled at Stannis’s nod. “Mum always made that for our namedays every year. It’s supposed to bring good luck.”</p>
<p>“Do you enjoy living in the South?” Stannis asked. “You moved here to work for Maester Aemon, if I recall correctly.”</p>
<p>“I miss my family,” said Sansa honestly, flattered that he remembered another detail of her life, “but I love my job and I love how cosmopolitan it is here.”</p>
<p>“I’m…” Stannis paused and took another sip of his water. “I’m pleased you did not leave when you ceased your connection to Joffrey. I imagine it would have been tempting to go home to safety after that.”</p>
<p>“My parents wanted me to,” Sansa admitted, “but I am an adult and I’ve made my life here. I wouldn’t let Joff spoil my chance to work at my dream job.”</p>
<p>Stannis nodded his head towards her. “To your credit.”</p>
<p>Sansa speared an olive with her fork before dragging it through the cheesy sauce left from the stuffed peppers. “Dad’s friend Greatjon Umber has started a restaurant here as his retirement project, called <em>Last Hearth</em>. I hear he makes exceptional pork pies, we should go there together.”</p>
<p>Stannis paused again, then nodded. “That sounds like an excellent idea.”</p>
<p>Sansa realised then that she’d asked him out on another date. She ate another mouthful of food to cover her nerves. This evening was about her being bold.</p>
<p>“Have you heard about the new annotated edition of <em>Annals of the Black Centaur</em>?” she asked quickly. “I hear it has a particular focus on the Skagosi connection.”</p>
<p>Stannis frowned down at his plate, then looked back at Sansa. “I had not. Surely the Night’s Watch would be a better focus because of Lord Commander Caswell, the Black Centaur himself.”</p>
<p>Sansa hummed. “Yes, it was unusual to have a Reachman as Lord Commander, but Skagos is a popular topic nowadays. They were probably wanting a wider appeal. Unicorns are all the rage since that reality show where people had to survive on Skagos amongst a herd of unicorns.”</p>
<p>Stannis scowled at that. “I don’t follow popular culture any more than absolutely necessary.” He sighed. “A wider appeal at the cost of the facts? Seems like intellectual corruption to me.”</p>
<p>“I watched the show when my sister Arya came to stay for a week last year. She was one of the stunt supervisors on it. Trust me, you didn’t miss much. Apparently unicorns are small, hairy, and they smell bad.”</p>
<p>There was a buzzing from Stannis’s pocket as his phone received a message, though he made no effort to check it. A few seconds after, Sansa’s phone chimed from her handbag. Sansa glanced at the clock on the wall, and smiled. “You also get Tommen’s Ser Pounce updates?” she said. “Eight pm, every day?”</p>
<p>“I do,” said Stannis, “he’s become an exceptional young man. Rescuing abused animals is a worthy undertaking.”</p>
<p>“He’s a sweetheart, a credit to your family,” agreed Sansa. “He’ll make a wonderful vet.”</p>
<p>“I regret that he’s likely not…” Stannis stopped abruptly and shook his head.</p>
<p>Sansa leaned forward. “He’s not what?”</p>
<p>“My apologies, I spoke out of turn.” Stannis’s voice was sad. “It’s a situation that we can discuss when I have more information.”</p>
<p>“Okay,” said Sansa slowly. Stannis looked awkward, so she searched for a change of subject. “Well, have you heard that Howland Reed found some ancient volumes of Crannogmen prophecies in their old family Keep?”</p>
<p>Stannis seemed to relax a little when she moved the conversation on. “Yes, and I gather there is some previously undiscovered information about the old Azor Ahai myths. They fascinated me as a child.”</p>
<p>To Sansa’s relief they chatted easily through the rest of dinner, if debating the merits of various literary approaches to ancient works would qualify as ‘easily’.</p>
<p>No mention of the bill came from the waitress, and Sansa knew Stannis would have an account with the restaurant, with any outstanding money being discreetly settled every month. Noble families never openly addressed anything as gauche as paying a bill, something Sansa had had to learn when she moved out of home.</p>
<p>At her suggestion they strolled down the waterfront, which seemed populated solely by people out enjoying their evening rather than anyone trying to get more photos of them together. The ruins of the ancient Mud Gate still stood near what Sansa knew used to be docks, a popular tourist location. Redevelopments had changed the entirety of the Blackwater Rush time and time again over the centuries. Trendy restaurants now crowded the area, bordering a riverside board walk. Sansa enjoyed looking at old maps of Kings Landing, trying to imagine what it would have looked like after Aegon the Conqueror’s arrival.</p>
<p>She took Stannis’s hand as they walked, relieved when he slipped his fingers in between hers. It was only their first date, but she had known him for years and she wanted him naked and in her bed. As they trod the boardwalk in the sultry evening air, Sansa considered how to broach the topic.</p>
<p>Straight forwardly, she supposed, since Stannis was a man who valued honesty.</p>
<p>At the end of the boardwalk they stopped, both looking out of the starlit Blackwater Bay. Lights from various boats twinkled in a darkness. The hum of the other people out walking seemed far away, and the gentle lap of the Blackwater Rush against the wooden piles soothed Sansa’s nerves.</p>
<p>Sansa turned around and leaned against the handrail, facing back along the ancient river towards the city. “Have you ever imagined what it would be like to be here after Aegon’s Conquest, a thousand years ago? What your life would have been like?”</p>
<p>“I have not,” Stannis said, but Sansa could see when she glanced at him that he smiled ever so slightly in the dim light. “House Baratheon was founded by Orys Baratheon, a general in Aegon’s army, so I imagine establishing a political power base would have been paramount.” Stannis adopted a lecturing tone as he spoke, and Sansa felt a rush of affection for him. “Though as a mere second son my importance would have been limited.”</p>
<p>“Forget what actually happened to your ancestors, it’s fun to make things up.” said Sansa, smiling up at him. “You might have been a knight, or even a Kingsguard. I like the sound of Ser Stannis.”</p>
<p>Stannis snorted. “Making things up for fun,” he muttered, but still seemed relaxed. “Master of Ships seems more fulfilling, in that case, and I do enjoy sailing. Or even Hand of the King as Orys himself was.” He looked sideways at her. “You are the eldest daughter of an ancient and distinguished house. If we are disregarding recorded historical events, you might have been Queen.”</p>
<p>Sansa laughed at that thought. “It would have to be with a Targaryen King without female relatives. And with my luck I would end up marrying one of the insane ones. In any case, I’m sure I’d have been horse-traded away to some lord I’d never met to benefit all the men involved.”</p>
<p>“Fortunate indeed that we live in these modern times and can control our own destinies.”</p>
<p>Sansa hummed an agreement and turned back around to face the bay. A warm breeze ruffled the skirt of her red dress against her knees.</p>
<p>She leaned against Stannis, and to her relief he slipped an arm over her shoulders.</p>
<p>His body was firm and warm, and she ached with the desire to touch him.</p>
<p>“Stannis,” she said eventually, turning to face him.</p>
<p>He turned to face her as well, and she placed a careful hand on the middle of his chest. He let out a long breath, though his expression was still neutral. She ran her fingertips up his chest, past his tie and then up to the stubble along his jawline. Her relief was palpable when he leaned into her touch.</p>
<p>Stannis tenderly cupped her face with one hand then, echoing her movements. Sansa stood on tiptoes, tilting her face towards him as he dipped his head down to kiss her.</p>
<p>She eagerly responded, deepening their kiss almost immediately. He tasted of the minted orange slices they’d had as their final course, and she liked having to stand on tiptoes to be tall enough to kiss comfortably. His arms were firm and strong as they slipped around her, and she ran her fingers through his short-cropped hair.</p>
<p>Every part of her body screamed for her to invite him back to her apartment for the night.</p>
<p>“Stannis,” she murmured again, pulling back from the kiss. She studied his face. “I want you. Can you be a very good boy for me?”</p>
<p>His eyes went wide, and seemed to darken in the low light. He tugged her in for a kiss again, then trailed his lips along her jaw to her ear. “Yes, I can,” he whispered roughly. “I can be very good for you.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. A Pleasurable Experience</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Well that was a longer wait than expected! Sorry about that, my ongoing health issues decided to kick my butt and honestly even thinking about smut was the last thing I wanted to do.<br/>But! It’s my birthday today (Dec 31 🎉🥳 ) and my present to myself was to write and post some updates to stories on AO3, so I hope you enjoy this conclusion to my Stansa story. Thank you all very much for lovely warm welcome to this ship that you all gave me 😁</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sansa opened the door to her apartment without breaking her kiss with Stannis, a feat of dexterity which would normally have been quite satisfying, but she was highly distracted.</p><p>She had been distracted in the car, giving into her impulse and trailing her fingertips up his firm thigh. She’d been distracted on the street outside her building as Stannis took her hand and brushed a kiss across her knuckles. She had certainly been distracted in the elevator when he pressed her against the side of it and kissed her again, his hard body leaning into hers.</p><p>“What do you want?” he murmured into her ear once they were inside her apartment, his hands brushing the smooth skin of her thigh as he hitched the skirt of her dress up a little. “I want to bring you pleasure. Tell me how I can do that.” His lips trailed down the side of her neck, maddeningly arousing.</p><p>Sansa revelled in the sensation, then pulled him in to kiss her lips again, her mind racing. Now they were finally alone, her level of arousal was hindering her ability to think. Stannis smelled so good, clean and masculine, and his body was firm under her hands.</p><p>All the things she had wanted to do but never experienced raced through her imagination, quick as a flash.</p><p>She’d wanted to try many different things in bed with Joffrey when they first became intimate, but she swiftly learned he was disinterested in any act that wasn’t her taking him in her mouth or him on top, rutting into her whilst she was still dry and not ready.</p><p>The thought of having sex that was actually enjoyable almost made her knees buckle.</p><p>Sansa broke the kiss and wrapped her arms around Stannis in a hug, suddenly needing the comfort after the unwelcome intrusion of Joffrey into her thoughts. He huffed a little in surprise, but returned the gesture without any hesitation, smoothing a comforting hand down her back. She buried her face against his bristly neck, breathing him in, aware that he would expect an answer to his question.</p><p>There was something she had long been curious about but had never experienced.</p><p>She pulled back, looked into his dark blue eyes, and uttered the dirtiest thing she’d ever said out loud, “I want to sit on your face, and I want you to be a good boy and make me come.”</p><p>His eyes had widened when she first spoke, but without hesitation he murmured, “I would like nothing more,” before brushing his lips over hers again.</p><p>Kissing Stannis gave her enough focus to not be scandalised by what she’d just asked of him.</p><p>When they both had to pause to catch their breath, Sansa slipped her hand into his and tugged him in the direction of her bedroom.</p><p>Stannis stopped briefly to remove his suit jacket as they left the living room, hanging it carefully over the back of her precious weirwood rocking chair.</p><p>“That’s an impressive piece,” Stannis said, nodding towards the rocking chair.</p><p>“My parents commissioned it for me as a graduation present,” Sansa replied, stepping back into Stannis’s arms again, desperate to be close to him.</p><p>“Most practical,” he said, nibbling gently down the side of her throat, his stubble tickling her sensitive skin in a highly compelling way. “And beautiful.”</p><p>“Stannis,” Sansa moaned, “bedroom. Now.”</p><p>Sansa painted her bedroom a cheerful buttercup yellow when she first moved in, echoing the accents of the bedspread that her Tully grandmother had made. She’d hung several framed illustrations from the classic novel <em>Winterfell Wilderness</em> on the wall, which she thought Stannis might be interested in, but perhaps not right at this moment.</p><p>Instead of pointing them out, Sansa loosened and pulled off Stannis’s tie, then started to unbutton his shirt. He softly ran his fingertips down her cheek as she did so, his eyes crinkling at the corners. She paused, smiled at him, then leaned in for another passionate kiss before resuming. Stannis was indeed in excellent shape, and she hummed in appreciation as she ran her hands over the warm skin of his torso. The dark hair on his chest had a scattering of silver through it, and Sansa had never seen anything so sexy.</p><p>“I want to see you on my bed,” said Sansa, running her fingers through his chest hair. She licked her lips, then looked up at his face. He was staring at her with a dizzying intensity, and she wanted him more than she had ever wanted anything. “I want to see what you look like lying there, so I can remember you whenever I come in here.”</p><p>“Gods, Sansa,” he said. He brushed a tender kiss lightly across her lips again before toeing his shoes off and positioning himself on her bed, leaning back against her pillows.</p><p>Seeing him there in her personal space had an air of unreality, the stuff of a thousand night-time fantasies. She’d always remember his dark head on her pillow, the contrast of his suit pants against her bright quilt, the way the material bunched under his long fingers as he grasped it.</p><p>The zip for her bold crimson dress was at the side, so she slowly undid it and slipped it off as Stannis avidly followed her every move.</p><p>“Now Stannis, I want you to lie right there and watch me undress for you,” she said to him, standing almost bare in her black bra and underwear. Nerves skittered briefly across her consciousness, but the sensation of power quickly overtook it as she saw how Stannis was looking at her. He nodded in response to what she said, his gaze roaming over her body appreciatively. Sansa felt like a goddess being the focus of such rapt attention. She reached behind herself, unhooked the bra and let it fall, bringing her hands back to the front and cupping her breasts. Her nipples pebbled as she ran her thumbs over them.</p><p>“Seven hells, Sansa,” Stannis said, his voice rasping. “I need to touch you again.”</p><p>His impressive erection was startlingly visible through his trousers, and the last of Sansa’s nerves fell away. He was desperate for her, willing to let her do what she wanted.</p><p>She straightened and dropped her hands, letting him see her breasts properly. “You’re being so patient. If you stay there nicely like I asked, I would love for you to touch me.”</p><p>He gave her a jerky nod, still following her every move as he released the quilt with one hand and reached down to palm his hardness through his trousers.</p><p>She pulled her underwear slowly down and over her legs, running her hand over the neatly trimmed auburn curls between her legs to draw his attention there.</p><p>“I need to pleasure you, now Sansa, please.” Stannis didn’t sound desperate, exactly, but his calm demeanour was cracking. He stared at her with such yearning that she made her way to the bed and swung her leg over to straddle his hardness before leaning forward to kiss him again.</p><p>Stannis ran his hands unhurriedly over her skin as they kissed, echoing the movements she’d done to him. He brushed his knuckles over her taut nipples, then moved his hands to cup her breasts reverently. Sansa moaned into his mouth as he slipped a hand down, over her stomach and down further to stroke her wetness.</p><p>“That’s amazing, that feels so good,” moaned Sansa against his lips.</p><p>He slipped a finger inside her as they kissed, his tongue slipping into her mouth, echoing the movement of his finger inside her body.</p><p>Sansa tried to focus on every sensation, determined to remember as much as she could about this night that she’d wanted for so long.</p><p>After a lifetime of his intimate touches, or only a few moments, she pulled away from him. “I want you to use your mouth on me now,” she said hoarsely.</p><p>Stannis was nodding quickly before she had even finished talking. “Please,” he said, his voice rough.</p><p>Sansa gazed at him, stroking his face like he’d done to her.</p><p>She experienced a slightly awkward moment as she internally debated how to shift the bedding and best position herself without seeming ungraceful, but his whispered “I wish to bring you pleasure” gave her confidence.</p><p>After some repositioning and tugging the quilt out of the way, Sansa shuffled up the bed on her knees so she could swing a leg over Stannis’s head and hover above his face.</p><p>“Yes,” he hissed, and reached up to pull her properly down onto him.</p><p>Sansa cried out and grabbed the top of the headboard for stability as his tongue swept over her. She had tried over the years to imagine what it would be like for a man to do this for her, but the hot, ecstatic, slippery reality was better than she’d thought.</p><p>He explored her flesh with his tongue and lips. It was almost too intense, and Sansa sagged against her own grasp of the headboard, lurching forward and resting her forehead against the cool wood. Stannis held her in place with both hands at the top of her thighs under her bottom, his single-minded determination all focused on bringing her satisfaction.</p><p>He tried a variety of movements, and she must have reacted strongly to one because he started circling his tongue over her clit and Sansa melted in pleasure.</p><p>“Oh gods, Stannis,” she cried, her voice so husky she didn’t recognise it. “That’s perfect, so good. Such a clever boy.”</p><p>He hummed in reply and tightened his grip on her, thrusting his tongue inside her before resuming the circling movements.</p><p>She let go of the headboard with one of her hands and bought it down to card through the short-cropped hair on the top of his head.</p><p>Her moans grew in intensity as he focused on her clit, licking his tongue over it with intense focus.</p><p>“Yes like that, just like that,” she moaned and suddenly cried out as her orgasm swept over her. She ground herself down on Stannis’s face and he licked her through it.</p><p>When he loosened his grasp on her flesh, she flopped sideways in a wobbly legged heap but kept enough presence of mind to crawl into position to kiss Stannis again. Her wetness covered the lower half of his face and that was almost as sexy as him quoting Dornish poetry to her on their date.</p><p>Kissing him was addictive too. She loved the small hums of pleasure Stannis made as they kissed, and she could not wait to hear what he’d sound like when he was properly inside her.</p><p>“Have you been a good enough boy for me to ride you?” she asked, when her heart had stopped racing and she had caught her breath.</p><p>The corner of his mouth quirked upwards. “I believe so, yes,” he murmured.</p><p>She put a hand on his erection, watching his hips thrust up as she stroked him, then glanced up at his face. “I take contraceptive pills,” she said, “and I’ve been tested, I’m clean.” She had ordered a full battery of tests as soon as she broke up with Joffrey, considering herself desperately lucky not to have caught anything from him.</p><p>Stannis nodded. “I am also clean.”</p><p>Sansa brushed a delicate kiss over his lips, and sat up to undo Stannis’s suit trousers and tug them down. He was wearing utilitarian black boxer briefs, and she pulled them down too, letting his manhood spring free. She trailed her fingertips over his hardness. Randa had been correct in her assumption of his size, something in the gene pool Joffrey had apparently missed out on.</p><p>She watched his face as she caressed him. He had screwed his eyes shut, and he groaned with pleasure.</p><p>“Stannis,” she whispered, and he opened his eyes. “Be a good boy and look at me.”</p><p>She ran her thumb over the tip of his erection, gathering the moisture that was leaking from him. Gazing into his eyes as she touched him like that was shockingly intimate. He seemed to feel the same because his breathing grew heavier.</p><p>He reached up and tenderly brushed her hair back from her face, tucking it behind her ear.</p><p>She leaned into his touch, stroking him more firmly.</p><p>“I can’t wait to have you inside me,” she said, echoing her previous thoughts.</p><p>He shut his eyes once more and hissed out a long breath. “If you keep doing that I won’t last long,” he rasped.</p><p>“I’m sure we can make love more than once tonight,” she said lightly.</p><p>He opened an eye and the side of his mouth quirked up. “Perhaps. I’m not as young I once was.”</p><p>Sansa laughed and moved forward to kiss him again. “I can keep you young.”</p><p>“You might at that,” said Stannis when they broke the kiss. “And I hope...” He paused, swallowed convulsively, then looked into her eyes. “Rather, I would have no objection if this was for more than simply tonight.”</p><p>Sansa left a lifting of the worry she hadn’t realised she had. She smiled at him. “I would like that too. A lot.”</p><p>She straddled him again, leaning forwards to seal their words with another long kiss.</p><p>Sansa reached back to grasp his erection. She positioned him at her entrance and sank down, taking him slowly inside of her.</p><p>The heat and stretch of him was better than she’d ever imagined, and Sansa thought at that moment she’d want to do this every day for the rest of her life.</p><p>“Oh fuck, Sansa,” he said, finally sounding like his control was slipping.</p><p>It was an unbelievable turn on to see the powerful, successful Stannis Baratheon naked under her on her bed, groaning with the pleasure of her taking him into her body.</p><p>Sansa rose up on her knees, looking down as she took him, watching where she and Stannis were joined.</p><p>“I wanted you for so long,” she gasped out as she rocked against him. “I wanted you when we were at those family parties, even though I shouldn’t have.”</p><p>He reached up and gently touched her face, running his fingertips down her cheek in a soft caress. “I wanted you too,” he admitted, “even though I shouldn’t have.”</p><p>She moaned at that and moved more quickly. “Does that feel good?” she asked, squeezing her internal muscles around him. “You like that, don’t you?”</p><p>“You are perfect,” he said, resting his hands on her hips. “I want to see you take your pleasure from me.”</p><p>Sansa ground down against him, still revelling in the control she had.</p><p>She felt incredibly full, pleasure sparking through her whole body.</p><p>She thrust her hand down between their bodies. “Watch me Stannis,” she said. “See me touch myself while you are inside of me.”</p><p>Stannis reached back and pulled a pillow under his head, so he was angled to watch her. Sansa had never done anything remotely like this, but instead of embarrassed she felt desirable, empowered.</p><p>She cupped her breasts, tweaking her nipples, then ran her hand down to touch herself. She rubbed over her clit and Stannis’s eyes followed every move, his focus intense.</p><p>“That’s so good,” she panted. “You make me feel so good. You are such a good boy for me.”</p><p>Sansa shut her eyes and chased her pleasure, speeding up her movements until she was grinding down hard and fast upon Stannis.</p><p>Her orgasm was as intense as the previous one, perhaps even more so with the way he filled her.</p><p>Stannis gripped her hips hard and thrust up into her, crying out as he clearly reached his own climax though Sansa was preoccupied with hers.</p><p>She flopped back down onto the bed, heedless of trying to maintain any dignity. Drunk on power and pleasure, she tucked herself against his side, tilting her face for more kisses.</p><p>“You are singular,” he whispered against her lips, “and exquisite.”</p><p>“You aren’t so bad yourself,” she said softly. “Will you stay tonight?”</p><p>“I would like nothing more.”</p><p>Sansa sighed happily and relaxed into Stannis’s embrace.</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>Sansa woke up in the night with Stannis pressed against her back, his topmost arm draped over her. She luxuriated for some moments in the delicious feeling of safety and contentment before realising she was going to have to move, because she had to use the bathroom.</p><p>He didn’t stir as she carefully manoeuvred out from his embrace and out of bed into the regretfully chilly night air.</p><p>She grimaced at the remains of makeup on her face in the bathroom mirror, then grinned. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d fallen asleep without brushing her teeth or washing her face, but the experience had been very, very worth it. A dull ache throbbed pleasantly between her legs, and her face flushed red as intimate details of their encounter resurfaced in her memory.</p><p>Her ablutions complete, Sansa scurried to the handbag she had discarded just inside her apartment to retrieve her phone as she remembered it was in need of a charge. A lone message flashed on the screen, sent some hours ago.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Margaery [10.31pm]: How’d the date with Ser Resting Bitch Face go? (Loras called Stannis that btw, not me. I think his lil’ grumpy face is cute!) I hope things are getting steamy! Xox</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>Sansa huffed a quiet laugh as she reentered her bedroom. Stannis hadn’t moved, the faint city lights from outside her window illuminating that he was, in fact, frowning in his sleep. She felt a rush of affection and hurried to plug her phone in to charge so she could get into bed.</p><p>Slipping back into Stannis’s arms proved more difficult that leaving them, and he groggily murmured in a questioning tone.</p><p>“Sorry,” she whispered in response. “I had to use the bathroom.”</p><p>He grunted and pulled her flush against his naked body again. Sansa sighed happily, closing her eyes and relaxing into the feeling of safety and contentment.</p><p>She couldn’t get back to sleep though, distracted by the urge to feel him inside her body. Stannis seemed to wake up more too, because he idly ran his hand up and down over the skin of her flank.</p><p>She pressed her bottom more firmly against Stannis, wiggling it as she felt him harden behind her.</p><p>“Sansa,” he whispered into her hair.</p><p>“I want you again,” she said quietly, barely hesitating before continuing, “please be a good boy and fuck me.”</p><p>He groaned in response to that, slipping his hand down over her hip then down to slip a finger inside her. She was more than ready for him.</p><p>She gripped the sheets and let him take charge this time. She felt him line himself up and push slowly inside her with infinite care, and Sansa couldn’t control her moans of pleasure.</p><p>He held her close, thrusting shallowly inside her, his arm over her echoing their sleeping position and hand resting over her breast. She let go of the sheet, ran her hand down his arm and slipped her fingers between his. She never wanted this feeling of closeness to end.</p><p>He moved their combined hands down again, between her legs.</p><p>“Like this?” he murmured, circling her clit in similar motions to which he’d used his tongue.</p><p>“A little more firmly,” she responded, pressing his fingers down a little.</p><p>She arched her back and cried out with pleasure as he found the correct way to touch her, their fingers slipping in her wetness.</p><p>She could feel his breathing hitching against the back of her head as he pleasured her, still only thrusting a little.</p><p>“Stannis,” she moaned when she was close, “oh gods that feels so good.”</p><p>The burning intensity of his touch became too much and Sansa shuddered through her climax with Stannis’s whispered encouragement in her ear.</p><p>She twisted in his arms so she could kiss him when she came back to herself, moaning at the loss of his manhood inside her when he slipped out.</p><p>“You’re so good at this,” she whispered against his mouth.</p><p>“Would you lie on your front?” he murmured, cupping her jaw before kissing her again.</p><p>Sansa did as he asked, toes curling in anticipation. She felt Stannis shift to kneel between her legs, then lean forward and take his weight on one arm over her as he used the other hand to guide himself back inside her body.</p><p>In contrast to before, his pace this time was merciless. She moaned in helpless pleasure with each hard thrust, overwhelming by the feelings he was creating in her. The sound of the headboard rhythmically hitting the wall was loud in her room accompanied by the slapping of flesh on flesh.</p><p>Sansa tensed up and then cried out again as another orgasm hit her, the first she’d ever had from sex alone. Stannis grunted in satisfaction as she came hard around him, then groaned as well as he climaxed inside her.</p><p>She lay still on her front after he withdrew, too relaxed to move.</p><p>“Jus’leavemehereforforever,” she mumbled, half into the mattress.</p><p>Stannis snorted an actual laugh, which she registered even through her pleasurable haze, before she felt him caress down her bare back, kiss her shoulder and then get out of bed. His footsteps disappeared out of her room.</p><p>Sansa drifted in her afterglow, hyper aware of her sensitised skin against the crisp sheets of her bed. Every nerve ending seemed to tingle and she wanted Stannis to return so she could feel his skin against hers.</p><p>Stannis had evidently gone in search of a face cloth. He came back to bed in short order and gently wiped up between her legs with the warm, damp cloth.</p><p>“Thankyouforbeingaverygoodboy,” she managed as he climbed back into bed and rolled her, unresisting, back into his arms for a cuddle. She lay her head on the crook of his shoulder and breathed in the clean scent of him.</p><p>“Thank you for…” he paused for quite some time and Sansa raised her head to look at him, blinking blearily to clear her vision.</p><p>“For?” she asked.</p><p>He was staring into the middle distance, but he looked back at her face when she moved. His eyes had crinkled at the corners again and he appeared more relaxed now than even when he’d slept.“For indulging me.”</p><p>Sansa pulled his head down so she could kiss him. “I liked everything about tonight,” she said, before squinting at the bedside alarm clock. “Well, last night now, I suppose since it’s technically early morning.”</p><p>“As did I.”</p><p>“You frown when you sleep,” she informed him, burrowing her face against his chest. She bought up a hand to card her fingers through the hair there.</p><p>Stannis hummed in agreement. “Loras has told me that I possess a ‘resting bitch face’,” he said, tightening his arm around her.</p><p>“I like your face,” she said, then cleared her throat. “A lot.”</p><p>Stannis huffed and kissed the top of her head. “I also like your face a great deal.”</p><p>“And Stannis,” she said, shifting to look up at him.</p><p>“Mmm?” he replied.</p><p>“You definitely were a very good boy for me.”</p><p>He smiled properly at that, in the dim light, and he leaned down to kiss her once more.</p>
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